Sarah Franklin headlined UW’s list of conference honorees as six players earned Big Ten accolades.
Six Wisconsin players earned Big Ten honors, including two making the All-Conference First Team.
Outside hitter Sarah Franklin was named Big Ten Player of the Year for the second straight year — becoming the first player to do so as a Badger — and was a unanimous First Team selection. Senior Anna Smrek was also named to the First Team.
Statistically, Franklin somehow improved on her season last year, when she was named the AVCA National Player of the Year. In conference play, Franklin totaled 308 kills for an average of 4.40 kills per set, while hitting .306. Franklin recorded double-figure kill totals in every single conference game, including nine 15+ kill matches and two 20+ kill matches. She did that while being a true six-rotation player, passing really well from serve-receive despite often being targeted by other teams. Frank the Tank is a really special player.
Smrek was named to the Big Ten First Team for the second season in a row as well. The 6-foot-9 opposite averaged 2.99 kills per set during conference play and was fourth in the Big Ten in averaging 1.34 blocks per set.
Three Wisconsin players were named to the Big Ten Second Team: junior Carter Booth, senior Julia Orzoł, and freshman setter Charlie Fuerbringer. Booth had the second most blocks per set in the conference, averaging 1.54. It’s the third year that Booth earned All-Conference honors.
Julia Orzoł, back in the rotation as an outside hitter after serving as libero last year, averaged 2.21 kills per set, 2.27 digs per set, and 0.56 blocks per set. While stuffing the stat sheet, the Polish outside hitter tallied seven double-figure kill totals in conference play as she earned All-Conference honors for the third time.
Fuerbringer was named to the Big Ten Second Team as well as earning a unanimous selection to the Big Ten All-Freshman team. The Hermosa Beach, Cali.-native earned three Big Ten weekly honors, including Setter of the Week and two Freshman Players of the Week. She averaged 10.91 assists per set — fourth most in the Big Ten — while averaging 2.37 digs per set.
Wisconsin’s other big freshman contributor also earned a spot on the All-Freshman team. Lola Schumacher led the team with 3.53 digs per set in Big Ten play. She notched 13 service aces as well and was named to the team despite missing three matches due to injury.
The Badgers will start NCAA Tournament play Thursday night against the Fairfield Stags at the UW Field House. That match is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. and will come after the other first-round game in the regional, Tennessee vs. Georgia Tech. Both matches will be on ESPN+.